McWhopper

Burger King and McWhopper call a truce for World Peace Day

To raise awareness for world peace day and increase brand affinity for Burger King, Y&R New Zealand set out to create a new symbol of peace.

It all began with a full-page open letter in The New York Times and The Chicago Tribune calling for a ‘burger wars ceasefire’ between Burger King and rival McDonalds. Burger King proposed that on World Peace Day the two rivals join forces to cook and serve the ‘McWhopper,’ a peace-loving burger that would combine all their tastiest ingredients.

The proposal on mcwhopper.com mapped out plans for the hybrid burger, joint uniforms and a pop-up restaurant in Atlanta — a halfway point between their respective headquarters. Thousands of enthusiastic fans around the world took to social media to share their own McWhopper creations.

The McWhopper campaign generated widespread attention garnering more than 8.9 billion impressions, generating significant lift in awareness for non-profit organization Peace One Day and Burger King. The campaign’s success was featured in headlines worldwide and even recognized in the press as a ‘masterful PR move’ by Adweek. At the 2016 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, the campaign swept across categories winning 17 Lions including two Grand Prix. And in 2017, Burger King was honored at Cannes Lions as Marketer of the Year.